Travertine Tile Design Ideas: Decor, Patterns, Borders
Quick answerTravertine tile suits warm, calm interiors: honed or tumbled tiles in ivory, noce, gold or walnut, used on floors, walls, backsplashes, showers and patios. Add mosaics, patterns and decorative borders for character, and pair it with warm wood, brass and white marble.
Looking for travertine tile design ideas? Travertine decor is warm, calm and easy to live with, and it works from a classic Mediterranean kitchen to a modern spa bath. This guide shows what travertine looks like, which decorative travertine tile styles to pick, and how to pair it with other finishes. New to the stone? Start with what is travertine, browse travertine tile, or order sample tiles to see the color in your own light.
What Does Travertine Look Like?
Travertine is a natural stone with soft, earthy color and a gentle linear grain. Most tiles show warm ivory, cream, gold, walnut or silvery gray tones, with subtle bands and small natural pockets. No two tiles are the same, which is the charm. If you want the full story, read how travertine is formed.
What travertine tile looks like also depends on the finish. Honed is soft and matte, polished is glossy, tumbled is aged and rustic, and brushed and chiseled has a worn, textured edge. Compare them in stone tile finishes, and see honed, polished and tumbled travertine.
Travertine Interior Design: Where It Works
Travertine interior design is about texture and warmth. Use it wherever you want a room to feel grounded and calm.
- Kitchens: a soft backsplash behind warm wood or white cabinets. See travertine kitchen tile and travertine backsplash tile.
- Bathrooms and showers: a spa feel in travertine bathroom tile and travertine shower tile.
- Floors: large, quiet tiles that make a room feel bigger. Browse travertine floor tile.
- Walls and fireplaces: textured stone as a feature. See travertine wall tile and travertine fireplace tile.
- Outdoors and pools: patios, steps and decks. See travertine pool tile and outdoor tile.
Decorative Travertine Tile: Shapes and Patterns
Decorative travertine tile is where the stone gets playful. A mosaic turns a plain wall into a feature, and a pattern can give a floor its own character. Popular choices include:
- Herringbone for movement and a tailored look.
- Hexagon for a soft, modern geometric.
- Brick and random strip for a relaxed, textured wall.
- Versailles pattern for a classic, European floor.
- Travertine mosaics in many shapes, plus our travertine mosaic guide and stone tile patterns.
Decorative Travertine Tile Borders
Decorative travertine tile borders frame a room and make a simple field look finished. Use a slim pencil liner along a wall, a bullnose to soften an edge, or a chair rail to break up a tall wall. They work around a shower niche, along a backsplash or as a band across a floor. Explore pencil liners, bullnose liners, chair rails and travertine trim, and read stone trims and edges.
Travertine Tile Designs by Color
Pick a color family first, then a shape. Here are some of our travertine stones to start with.
- Ivory Light for a bright, airy room.
- Noce and Walnut for rich, earthy brown.
- Gold and Yellow for sunny warmth.
- Scabos for a bold, multi-tone look.
- Silver Pewter Blend for a cooler, quieter palette.
Want to see them in more detail? Our white travertine and black travertine guides cover the lighter and darker ends, and natural stone color codes help you match shades.
Is Travertine Out of Style?
Travertine is not out of style, but the look has changed. The older glossy, orange-tone floors are less common. Today people choose honed or tumbled travertine in creamy, neutral tones, laid in larger formats or in textured mosaics. It pairs naturally with warm woods, plaster walls, brass and soft whites. As a natural stone it has been used for centuries, so it tends to age gracefully rather than date quickly.
How to Mix Travertine With Other Stone
Travertine and marble make a classic pair. Try a travertine floor with a white marble accent, or a travertine wall with a black marble trim for contrast. Not sure which suits you? Read travertine vs marble, or try a checkerboard for a playful floor.
Easy Travertine Decor Ideas Room by Room
Kitchen
Run honed travertine subway or brick tile up the wall behind the range, and keep the cabinets warm white or natural wood. A matching pencil liner at the top edge finishes the look. Browse kitchen tile and backsplash tile.
Bathroom
Use large honed tiles on the floor and a small mosaic in the shower for texture. Natural stone needs sealing in wet areas and a proper waterproofing system, such as a backer and membrane, as your installer specifies. See bathroom tile and natural stone shower tile.
Living Room and Entry
A large-format tumbled floor sets a calm base for a living room, and a Versailles pattern gives an entry real presence. See living room tile and entryway tile. A fireplace wall in textured travertine becomes the focal point of the room, as in fireplace tile.
Three Simple Rules
- Keep one finish across the room, then add texture with mosaics and trim.
- Choose a grout color close to the stone so the tile reads as one surface.
- Order samples and view them morning and evening, since travertine shifts with the light.
Keep It Looking Good
Seal travertine and wipe spills quickly, especially acidic ones. Our travertine sealing guide and travertine care hub make it simple. For holes, read filled vs unfilled travertine. Planning a bigger project? Use the buying guide and tile calculator, or get ideas in the tile inspiration gallery.
Get Started
Have a room in mind? Contact us and we will help you narrow it down. Check new arrivals, or visit us for Anaheim pickup. Any 5 samples are $25 and ship free, so you can see the real color and texture before you decide.
Common questions
What does travertine look like?
Travertine has soft, earthy color, usually ivory, cream, gold, walnut or silvery gray, with gentle linear banding and small natural pockets. Every tile is a little different.
What does travertine tile look like in a home?
It reads as warm, calm and textured. Honed tile looks soft and matte, polished looks glossy, and tumbled looks aged and rustic. Samples show the true color best.
What is travertine decor?
Travertine decor means using the stone as a design feature, in tile floors, walls, backsplashes, fireplaces, borders and outdoor spaces. Its warm neutral tones pair well with wood, plaster and brass.
What is decorative travertine tile?
Decorative travertine tile includes mosaics, patterns like herringbone and Versailles, liners, chair rails and borders. These pieces add shape and detail beyond a plain field tile.
How do you use decorative travertine tile borders?
Use a pencil liner or bullnose along a wall edge, a chair rail to split a tall wall, or a band across a floor. Borders frame the room and give a simple tile a finished look.
How is travertine used in interior design?
Common uses are kitchen backsplashes, bathroom and shower walls, floors, fireplace surrounds and feature walls. Choose the finish for the room: honed for most spaces, tumbled for a rustic feel.
Is travertine out of style?
No. Glossy orange-tone floors are less common now, but honed or tumbled travertine in creamy neutrals is very current. It is a natural stone with a long history, so it ages gracefully.
What are good travertine tile designs for a small bathroom?
Try honed ivory field tile with a matching pencil liner, or a small herringbone or hexagon mosaic on the floor. Light colors make the room feel larger. Seal the stone and use a proper waterproofing system.
What colors go with travertine?
Warm woods, soft whites, black accents and brass or bronze all work. White or black marble trims add contrast, and green or blue-gray accents feel fresh.
Can I mix travertine with marble?
Yes. Travertine floors with white marble accents, or travertine walls with a black marble border, are classic pairings. Keep the finishes close, such as honed with honed, for a cohesive look.
Which travertine finish is best for design impact?
Honed is the safest all-round choice. Tumbled gives a lived-in, rustic feel, polished feels more formal, and brushed and chiseled adds edge texture. Order samples to compare.
Do travertine tiles have holes?
Natural travertine has small pockets. Many tiles are filled at the factory, and others are left unfilled for a rustic look. Our filled vs unfilled guide explains the choice.
Does travertine need sealing?
Yes, sealing helps protect travertine from stains and moisture. Reseal as needed and wipe acidic spills quickly. Our sealing guide has the simple steps.
Can I use travertine outside?
Yes, travertine is popular for patios, steps and pool areas. Choose a textured finish for grip and ask your installer about the right setting method.